Reusable seamless multipurpose bag

ABSTRACT

A reusable bag ( 10 ) made of materials, such as an FDA approved food-grade silicone, which may or may not include fillers, that can withstand the extreme temperatures used in the entire food preparation, cooking, and cleaning processes, including, but not limited to, storing, freezing, defrosting, marinating, baking, and washing for reuse. The bag ( 10 ) may be seamless and may have rounded corners and/or a rounded bottom ( 14 ), which allows for reversibility for the purpose of cleaning and prevents the accumulation of food, bacteria, or other contaminants thereby ensuring the safety and reusability of the invention. This bag may be closed and opened repeatedly by a sealing mechanism ( 12 ) that allows for an air and water tight seal.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Patent # Date Inventor Current U.S. Class U.S. 2011/0038564 A1 February 2011 Slansky 383/64 6,422,032 July 2002 Greene 62/457.2 6,238,090 May 2001 Yuter 383/2 5,261,532 November 1993 Fauci 206/218 5,213,418 May 1993 Dancy, et al. 383/6 5,172,854 December 1992 Epstein, et al. 229/123.3 4,358,466 November 1982 Stevenson 426/106

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OF DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Plastic bags are a common form of storing, transporting, and protecting edible or perishable items. Unfortunately, these plastic bags have a limited utility. They cannot be exposed to extreme heat in the oven, dishwasher, or microwave because the plastic bags may melt or the chemicals in the materials which they comprise may contaminate the edible or perishable items. At the same time, these bags do not maintain their integrity after repeated use or with heavy items. Furthermore, plastic bags that are not truly reusable need to be replaced often, generating cost for the consumer and increasing the amount of waste.

Plastic containers are also widely used in the storing, transporting, and protecting of edible or perishable items. Once again, these plastic containers cannot be exposed to extreme heat in the oven, dishwasher, or microwave for several reasons. Firstly, there is always the concern of the plastic melting. Secondly, contamination of the edible or perishable items can occur from the chemicals of the plastic after heat exposure. And thirdly, the shape of these containers may end up deformed after heat exposure which makes them difficult to close or store. They are also, for the most part, made of a harder, sturdier plastic that makes it difficult to store. Plastic containers cannot be molded or collapsed to adjust to their contents.

Currently, various types of plastic bags and plastic containers exist for storage purposes only. They are not used in the entirety of the food preparation, cooking, and cleaning processes. The materials of which they are comprised are not safe or stable enough to go from the freezer, to the microwave, to the oven for baking, to the dishwasher for cleaning. At the same time, other specialized products are being manufactured to protect baking containers, further increasing the cost and the amount of refuse.

Silicone bags do exist but their design is not suitable for the entirety of the food preparation, cooking and cleaning processes. They are very difficult to clean because they typically have square corners and seams where foods and liquids can get stuck and may not get exposed during the cleaning process making them unsanitary if reused. At the same time, having seams may reduce the ability of the bag to withstand heavy items because the seams may come undone or become weak. Also, having seams may also reduce its flexibility.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention comprises materials that have already been proven to be safe for storing, heating, and freezing edible materials or perishable items. These materials may include FDA approved food-grade silicone, which may or may not include one or more fillers. Silicone is resistant to extreme environments and temperatures ranging from −55° C. to +300° C. while still maintaining its useful properties. These materials are readily available and abundant. This invention comprises:

-   -   1. A reusable bag and a method of closure which will contain the         edible or perishable items.     -   2. A reusable bag that may have rounded corners and/or a rounded         bottom.     -   3. A method of closure where the closure allows the bag to be         air and water tight.     -   4. A reusable bag and a method of closure that may comprise         materials, such as an FDA approved food-grade silicone, which         may or may not include one or more fillers, which can withstand         a temperature range of −55° C. to +300° C. while still         maintaining its useful properties.     -   5. A reusable bag and a method of closure that may comprise         materials, such as an FDA approved food-grade silicone that may         or may not include one or more fillers, which are impervious to         the contents of the bag.     -   6. A reusable bag that is preferably seamless.

These characteristics allow this invention to be used in a variety of applications where extreme temperatures are involved such as the freezer, oven, microwave, and dishwasher. Furthermore, because it may be seamless and may have rounded corners and/or a rounded bottom, this bag becomes reversible and can be cleaned without accumulation of food, bacteria, or other contaminants. This increases the safety and reusability of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a frontal view of a reusable, seamless and multipurpose bag that has rounded corners and/or a rounded bottom and that may contain a variety of edible and perishable items. FIG. 1 demonstrates the position of the sealing mechanism, partial lateral seams and the flap used for opening, made in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a transversal cut of the bag in FIG. 1 showing the rounded corners and/or rounded bottom with a straight open top, a sealing mechanism, and opening flap, made in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a frontal view of a reusable, seamless and multipurpose bag that has rounded corners and/or a rounded bottom and that may contain a variety of edible and perishable items, but that has a different shape and dimensions than the bag in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 demonstrates the position of the sealing mechanism, partial lateral seams and the flap used for opening, made in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Both FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 illustrate how this bag, made in accordance with the principles of the present invention, can accommodate a variety of sizes, shapes, and volumes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The reusable bag (10) may be made of a flexible or pliable material such as an FDA approved food-grade silicone, which may or may not include one or more fillers, and that can withstand a temperatures range of −55° C. to +300° C., while still maintaining its useful properties. This material must be impervious to the edible contents or perishable items contained within. The bag may take a variety of shapes including, but not limited to, an oblong shape with rounded corners and/or a rounded bottom (14), or the shape of a cylinder with rounded corners and/or a rounded bottom (14), and both embodiments may have a flat, open top. These shapes will form a cavity with an opening where items will be placed. The bag (10), itself, may be constructed as a seamless, flexible container through molding or other appropriate processes.

In order to provide the appropriate space for a sealing mechanism (12) that is air and water tight and because the bag (10), itself, may be seamless, the reusable bag may be pinched at the top, on diametrically opposite sides of the opening, creating seams (11) on each side that are perpendicular to the flat top of the bag. These seams (11) may render the opening oval in shape. Alternatively, the reusable bag (10) may have two slits on diametrically opposite sides of the opening that may run perpendicular to the flat top of the bag, creating two edges on each side. On each side, the two edges of the slit may be secured to each other forming a seam (11). These seams (11) may also render the opening oval in shape.

The sealing mechanism (12) may be a closing method or closure that is already available in the market. One such mechanism may comprise one or more strips between the two seams located on both sides of the opening, on the inside of the bag. These strips may have one or more tracks with a male profile on one side, and one or more tracks on the opposite side, having a female profile. This strip or strips may be positioned at the lower end of the seams (11) and butted against them, leaving enough material, a flap (13), above the track that will allow the user to easily open and release the tracks from each other by pulling them apart. When the tracks are engaged to each other, they may form a straight line between the two seams (11) that is air and water tight. These tracks may be engaged with each other through pressure and then moving that pressure along the track to seal or reseal the opening.

This track may be made of an FDA approved food-grade silicone, which may or may not include one or more fillers, and that may be harder than the material of the bag (10) to allow for appropriate closure. The track may also comprise other materials having similar characteristics to silicone that can withstand extreme environments and temperatures ranging from −55° C. to +300° C., while still maintaining its useful properties and acting as an appropriate closure. Preferably, the sealing mechanism (12), the seams (11), flap (13), and the bag (10) may be molded all at once in the manufacturing process.

The shape and materials of this invention were designed to allow for multiple uses that may include, but are not limited to: (i) Storing edible or perishable items, (ii) freezing them for long term preservation, (iii) defrosting and cooking them with the use of a microwave oven, (iv) marinating them as desired, (v) baking them up to a temperature within the limits established for the involved materials, and (vi) washing the bag by turning it inside out for hand cleaning or cleaning in the dishwasher. The seamless structure of the bag and its rounded corners and/or rounded bottom (14) allow for full reversibility and cleaning which avoids accumulation of food, bacteria, or other contaminants. This ensures the safety and reusability of the invention.

This invention is appropriate for a variety of volume sizes and configurations, including, but not limited to, pint, quart, gallon, and 2-gallon bags when empty. These volumes can be achieved with bags that may have different ratios of height to width, as illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, to accommodate different applications.

The thickness of the bag material may be approximately 0.5 mm to 1 mm to ensure full protection of the contents inside of the bag during all stages of the food preparation, cooking, and cleaning processes. However, depending on the target application, the thickness of the bag material may vary.

The seams (11), whether pinched or joined slits, may have an approximate length of 25 mm, as needed for the sealing mechanism.

In order to provide the user with good visibility of the contents of the bag, the bag may be transparent but colorants may be used for decorative purposes, depending on the application.

This invention, in its entirety, may have patterns and/or a writing space on it for the purpose of aesthetics and/or labeling. It may also display volume measurement markings that may be printed on the bag to give the user an estimated measurement of the contents of the bag. 

1. A seamless, reusable bag for use in the entire food preparation, cooking, and cleaning processes.
 2. The bag of claim 1 is seamless through molding or other suitable processes.
 3. The bag of claim 1 has a rounded bottom.
 4. The bag of claim 1 has rounded corners on the bottom.
 5. The bag of claim 1 has a flat, open top to allow for the construction or mounting of a sealing mechanism.
 6. The bag of claim 1 may be pinched on diametrically opposite sides of the opening to allow for the construction or mounting of a sealing mechanism.
 7. The bag of claim 1 may have slits on diametrically opposite sides of the opening that may be seamed in the construction or mounting of a sealing mechanism.
 8. The bag of claim 1 is reversible for the purpose of cleaning for reuse.
 9. The bag of claim 1 is made of a material that can withstand the temperatures involved in the entire sequence of food preparation, cooking, and cleaning such as an FDA approved food-grade silicone that may or may not include fillers. 